What’s new on Instagram?

Only 3 hashtags allowed now‍

Instagram has officially started limiting the number of hashtags you can add to a regular post or Reel. You’re capped at three.

💡 What it means for you:
Less is more. Use specific, relevant hashtags that actually serve your niche or campaign rather than stacking a wall of them.

Expiring Story label in testing‍

Some users on iOS have spotted an “Expiring Soon” label on Stories that are close to their 24-hour mark.

💡 What it means for you:
This could help drive last-minute urgency and improve view rates on your Story content before it disappears.

Scroll to Just Watched feature‍

When a user taps on a creator’s profile after watching a Reel, Instagram now prompts them to scroll directly to the exact Reel they just saw if it isn’t near the top.

💡 What it means for you:
Easier rediscovery means more plays, more shares, and more time spent with your content. That’s a small UX boost with big potential.

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Reels tab filters: Most Viewed and Latest‍

Instagram has expanded access to Reels filters that let users sort your profile tab by newest uploads or those with the highest view counts.

💡 What it means for you:
High-performing Reels may see a longer lifespan. Old but gold content could resurface and get more traction.

AI-powered comment summaries in development‍

A new feature in testing could generate automated summaries of comment sections under posts.

💡 What it means for you:
Community management might get easier, but there’s a risk of losing context or misreading tone. Human moderation is still essential.

Stranger Things font now in Stories and Reels‍

Themed content creators rejoice — the creepy red-letter font is officially available.

💡 What it means for you:
Seasonal relevance = engagement opportunity. Use it while it’s trending, especially for Halloween or pop culture tie-ins.

Edits gets three powerful updates

• Masks: Animate overlays with shape reveals and transitions
• Volume ducking: Auto-lower music to highlight speech
• Stranger Things font: Now supported in the Edits app too

💡 What it means for you:
Instagram is turning Edits into a viable alternative to third-party tools. For marketers, that means faster, more efficient content creation in-platform.

Reel camera just got a full makeover‍

You can now record Reels up to 20 minutes long. The camera interface also includes an undo button, better green screen tools, upgraded timers, and new touch-up features.

💡 What it means for you:
If you’re pushing into longer storytelling, these changes give you smoother workflow and more polish — all in-app.

20-minute Reels don’t mean better reach‍

Mosseri clarified that while long-form Reels are now allowed, the algorithm still prefers videos under 3 minutes for ranking and recommendations.

💡 What it means for you:
Keep experimenting with longer formats, but don’t abandon what performs. Snappy still sells.

Community Notes come to Instagram‍

EU users can now request Community Notes on Instagram, adding another layer of content review and accountability.

💡 What it means for you:
If your brand operates in Europe, double-check your facts. Audiences will have more power to flag and contextualize what they see.

Reposting doesn’t boost reach, says Mosseri‍

If you thought reposting your own content was a cheat code, think again. According to Mosseri, it doesn’t really help. Responding to comments still works best.

💡 What it means for you:
Skip the repost and spend your time engaging. That comment reply strategy is still king.

What’s new on TikTok?

No more Instagram or YouTube links in profile‍

TikTok has quietly removed the option to link directly to your other platforms.

💡 What it means for you:
Cross-platform discovery just got harder. Rely on bio tools or link aggregators to guide traffic elsewhere.

Schedule Shoppable Videos is live‍

TikTok Shop creators can now batch-record shoppable content and schedule it up to 30 days in advance.

💡 What it means for you:
Just in time for holiday season planning. This gives creators more flexibility to match their publishing calendar with sales and promo cycles.

Control how much AI-generated content you see‍

Users now have toggles under “Manage Topics” that let them choose whether they want more or less AI-generated or AI-enhanced content in their feed.

💡 What it means for you:
More user control = more pressure to disclose AI use. Transparency and quality matter more than ever in the feed wars.

What’s new on YouTube?

Messaging inside the YouTube app‍

YouTube is testing a chat feature for sharing and discussing videos directly in-app, starting with users in Ireland and Poland.

💡 What it means for you:

This could open a brand-new engagement channel, especially for creators who thrive on direct fan interactions.

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Timestamp editing gets a drag-and-drop upgrade‍

Creators can now fine-tune video timestamps with a simple slider tool, giving more control over where tags and products appear.

💡 What it means for you:
Easier precision means cleaner product placement and better viewer experience, especially for tutorials and long-form content.

AI comment replies go global‍

YouTube has expanded AI-generated reply suggestions across mobile and web in over 100 languages.

💡 What it means for you:
Replying to comments at scale just got easier. But don’t go full robot — your audience can tell the difference.

More aggressive crackdown on low-effort uploads‍

YouTube says it has increased enforcement against misleading, mass-uploaded, or AI-generated junk content. Only a handful of removals were false positives.

💡 What it means for you:
Quality control is tightening. If you’re doing anything that feels like a shortcut, rethink your strategy before it backfires.

Bonus: YouTube Music adds AI to Recap 2025

This year’s annual recap comes with a twist. Subscribers can now ask questions like “What animal matches my music taste?” or “Hype my listening using Gen Z slang” via AI query prompts.

💡 What it means for you:
It’s more fun than functional, but it reflects a larger trend: AI will be layered into every experience, even the most playful ones.